Pennsylvania State Approved Sessions

Clear, concise writing is essential in bankruptcy practice, especially when your audience includes busy judges and practitioners. This interactive workshop will explore why brevity matters and how to achieve it without sacrificing legal precision. Attendees will learn to spot opportunities to tighten briefs and motions, and gain practical strategies for cutting words while preserving meaning. Whether drafting for court or clients, participants will leave with tools to write more effectively and efficiently.

In today’s digitally connected world, attorneys face unique challenges and opportunities at the crossroads of social media, credit reporting and bankruptcy law. This panel will first debunk prevalent social media myths and scams that complicate client advisement and the setting of realistic legal expectations. Next, the panelists will delve into the nuanced relationship between credit reporting and bankruptcy, offering insights that enhance attorneys' ability to guide clients through financial restructuring. Finally, the discussion will highlight effective strategies for harnessing social media as a tool to positively influence public perception and expand access to critical legal information. Join us for an engaging session designed to equip legal professionals with practical knowledge and innovative approaches for navigating this evolving landscape.

This panel will delve into the legal and strategic complexities surrounding the RMS Titanic chapter 11 case, exploring how different approaches might have altered its course. The panelists will unpack the jurisdictional tensions between the district court overseeing recovered artifacts and the bankruptcy court managing estate assets, and discuss pathways for resolving these conflicts. The conversation also will examine the role of foreign investors and buyers, highlighting the dynamic they introduce into the sale process and the competing interests at play.

As data privacy concerns grow more urgent, bankruptcy professionals must be prepared to confront the unique challenges that arise when companies holding sensitive consumer data (like genetic information) enter financial distress. This panel will use the high-profile case of 23andMe as a launching point to explore the intersection of data privacy laws and bankruptcy practice. The panelists then will examine the heightened risks and responsibilities for debtors, creditors and trustees handling data-heavy assets in restructuring and liquidation scenarios. 

This panel will explore best practices for selecting, preparing and effectively using expert witnesses in bankruptcy disputes, including in valuation, fraudulent-transfer and preference actions. The panelists will discuss common pitfalls, ethical considerations, and how opposing counsel can effectively challenge expert credibility and methodology. Attendees will gain practical tips for maximizing the value of expert testimony and avoiding costly missteps in contested bankruptcy matters. 

This lively panel of bankruptcy judges will debate the most pressing and controversial issues shaping bankruptcy law today. Gain unique insights from the bench on evolving case law, procedural challenges and emerging trends affecting practitioners across the bankruptcy spectrum.

Sponsored by Inspira FinancialIn this session, you will learn practical strategies to oversee/manage retirement plan terminations that are required due to corporate bankruptcies and merger-and-acquisition transactions. From understanding your clients’ fiduciary responsibilities to finding missing and unresponsive participants and reconnecting them with their retirement savings, this session will inform attendees on the steps necessary to successfully terminate a company's retirement plan.

This unique, interactive panel will be presented as a mock trial where financial advisors will be cross-examined by attorneys on valuation issues, including liquidation value.

Ponzi and other fraudulent schemes continue to proliferate. Many of these schemes, event if primarily targeted at Americans, operate using offshore entities in the Caribbean. As a result, resolving such schemes typically involves domestic receiverships or bankruptcy coupled with offshore liquidation proceedings. The victims’ recoveries may vary widely depending on whether the distribution of the scheme’s remaining assets is determined by U.S. bankruptcy law, U.S. common law or foreign law. This panel will explore the various ways in which U.S. and foreign laws implicate victims’ recoveries, as well as potential changes to those laws.